Fireproof fabric

ABSTRACT

A fireproof fabric includes a fabric layer and a fireproof barrier layer formed on the fabric layer. The fireproof fabric is produced through a manufacturing process which includes a blending step, a daubing step and a drying step. The blending step blends a liquid adhesive and a barrier agent to become a blended fireproof paste. The daubing step daubs the fireproof paste to the fabric layer. The drying step dries the fireproof paste to form the fireproof barrier layer. The barrier agent has characteristics of expansion at the high temperatures and a relative high melting point, and can absorb liquefied inflammable materials and maintain integrity of support structure. Thus when the fireproof fabric of the invention encounters high temperature flames it provides the barrier layer with characteristics of no melting droplets, no melting breakdown and direct carbonization, thereby can block the flames from spreading, and meet fireproof requirements.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fireproof fabric and particularly to a fireproof structure for fabrics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fire accident is one of threats of modern buildings that cannot be neglected lightly. In order to reduce damages and protect people's safety in the event of fire, various types of fireproof materials have been developed and widely used in people's living environments. Among them, fireproof fabric can be used as decorative material and also exterior material of furniture, hence is one of important flameproof materials.

A conventional fireproof fabric generally consists of a base layer fabric and a surface layer fabric. The base layer fabric is a ground fabric formed by plain weaving or knitting of synthetic fibers, natural fibers, or blended synthetic fibers and natural fibers. The resulting fabric is treated through a post-processing such as dipping or coating to generate flameproof effect. The surface layer fabric is a fabric or manmade lather with ornamental value, such as suede, then the base layer fabric and the surface layer fabric are bonded together through a flameproof adhesive, thereby form the fireproof fabric with flameproof efficacy.

Although the flameproof efficacy of the conventional fireproof fabric is resulted from the flameproof processing of the base layer fabric, i.e., its flameproof efficacy comes from the flameproof effect of an externally added flame-resistant agent. However, when encountering flame at high temperatures, the surface layer fabric could easily produce melting droplets problem. Moreover, although the base layer fabric is less likely to catch fire, it is prone to cause melting breakdown phenomenon. Due to the surface layer fabric is flammable, and still could cause fire after the melting droplets phenomenon takes place, and the base layer fabric, after having suffered from melting breakdown, could expose more flammable materials to the flame, this could cause spreading of fire, hence it still cannot fully meet fireproof requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore the primary object of the present invention is to provide a fireproof fabric that has a barrier layer with characteristics of no melting droplets, no melting breakdown and direct carbonization that can meet fireproof requirements.

The fireproof fabric provided by the invention includes a fabric layer and a fireproof barrier layer formed on the fabric layer. The fireproof barrier layer is formed by blending a liquid adhesive and a barrier agent.

The invention also provides a manufacturing process which includes a blending step, a daubing step and a drying step. The blending step blends the liquid adhesive and the barrier agent to become a blended fireproof paste. The daubing step bonds the blended fireproof paste to the fabric layer. The drying step dries in a still manner the fabric layer daubed with the blended fireproof paste to form the fireproof barrier layer on the fabric layer.

Thus, when the fireproof fabric of the invention encounters flame of high temperature the barrier agent, with characteristics of expansion at the high temperatures and a relatively high melting point, can absorb liquefied flammable material to form a barrier, and support the structural integrity of the barrier, thereby provide no melting droplets, no melting breakdown and direct carbonization characteristics of the barrier layer, hence not only is not flammable, also can block and prevent spreading of the flame to meet fireproof requirements.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the structure of the fireproof fabric of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a manufacturing process flowchart of the fireproof fabric of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural schematic view of the fireproof fabric of the invention.

FIG. 4 is another structural schematic view of the fireproof fabric of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please referring to FIG. 1, the present invention aims to provide a fireproof fabric which includes a fabric layer 10 and a fireproof barrier layer 20 formed on the fabric layer 10. The fireproof barrier layer 20 is formed by blending a liquid adhesive and a barrier agent. The liquid adhesive is preferably waterborne Acrylic (PMMA) resin or waterborne polyurethane (PU) resin. The barrier agent is preferably a mixture of graphite and an expander, or ammonium phosphate.

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 for a manufacturing process of the invention. It includes the steps of: S1: blending step, S2: daubing step, and S3: drying step. The blending step S1 blends the liquid adhesive and the barrier agent to become a blended fireproof paste 21.

Also referring to FIG. 3, the daubing step S2 daubs and bonds the blended fireproof paste 21 to the fabric layer 10. In practice, at the step S2 the blended fireproof paste 21 is disposed at one side of the fabric layer 10 and a scraper 30 is used to scrape extra blended fireproof paste 21. The material of the fabric layer 10 is selected from furniture fabrics, suede or manmade leather. The furniture fabrics include commonly used polyester, cotton, rayon, PP, nylon or the like. The manmade leather includes Polyurethane (PU) resin, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or the like.

Please referring to FIG. 4, at the drying step S3 the fabric layer 10 daubed with the blended fireproof paste 21 (also referring to FIG. 3) is held in a still manner for drying to allow the fireproof barrier layer 20 to form on the fabric layer 10. To speed up the still drying process, the drying step S3 can further employ a baking apparatus 40 to increase drying speed of transforming the blended fireproof paste 21 to the fireproof barrier layer 20 to reduce manufacturing time.

The fireproof fabric of the invention includes a two-layer structure. The fabric layer 10 provides a soft and pliable touch feel and ornamental appeal, while the fireproof barrier layer 20 provides non-flammable and barrier characteristics that are fireproof. Thus when the fireproof fabric of the invention encounters flames at high temperatures the barrier agent, through the characteristics of expansion at the high temperatures and a relative high melting point, can absorb the liquefied inflammable materials without producing melting droplets, and form a barrier, thus can support the integrity of the barrier structure without producing melting breakdown.

As a conclusion, the fireproof fabric of the invention provides a barrier layer 20 with characteristics of no melting droplets, no melting breakdown and direct carbonization, not only is not inflammable but also can block flames from spreading, as a result, can meet fireproof requirements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fireproof fabric, comprising: a fabric layer; and a fireproof barrier layer formed on the fabric layer by blending a liquid adhesive and a barrier agent.
 2. The fireproof fabric of claim 1, wherein the liquid adhesive is selected from the group consisting of waterborne Acrylic resin and waterborne polyurethane resin, and the barrier agent is a mixture of graphite and an expansion agent.
 3. The fireproof fabric of claim 1, wherein the liquid adhesive is selected from the group consisting of waterborne Acrylic resin and waterborne polyurethane resin, and the barrier agent is ammonium phosphate.
 4. The fireproof fabric of claim 1, wherein the fabric layer is selected from the group consisting of furniture fabrics, suede and manmade leather. 